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Two sisters: Erin, older sister who struggles to take care of their mother when she develops cancer, & has felt overshadowed by her younger sister for most of her life - Adele, younger sister who has always felt judged by her older sibling, longs to be able to reach out & tell her that things aren't as great as they seem, but it never seems the right time. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Adele is a struggling influencer/vlogger but when she posts a crowdfunding video online to help finance a move to Chateau Bellay in France, she is shocked when a mysterious benefactor reaches out & offers to buy it & let Adele & boyfriend, Jack, move in. They just have to agree to a few stipulations.

Erin is furious that Adele up & left to France, leaving her to deal with their mother's illness, but when she takes a turn for the worst, 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf Erin sets out to find Adele & bring her home. When she reaches Chateau Bellay, however, no-one is home. Breaking a window to get in, Erin finds that none of Adele or Jack's things are inside & the chateau itself feels strangely unwelcoming. Neither Adele or Jack have been seen since New Year's Eve, & the people in the local village seem reluctant to talk to Erin about them both. What happened to her sister? 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf The first half of the book was very good, with Adele soon finding out that life at the Chateau is not all she dreamed it would be, as the cracks in her relationship with Jack are magnified. The uneasy atmosphere & tension are ramped up with the reader anxious to find out what is going on. The second half became a little over the top in places & Erin turned into that most annoying of female character tropes where they go off to confront a suspect 5mo

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OutsmartYourShelf without telling anyone where they are going, & promptly get into trouble. Overall though it was a good read even if very dark in content. 3.5🌟

TWs: infidelity, sexual content, kidnapping, paedophilia, torture, murder, blood, death, stalking, terminal illness.

My thanks to NetGalley & publisher, Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5761906575
Read 3rd-6th Dec 2023 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf Winter Read - 25 pts
Readathons - 860 points
Word Challenge - 3245 pts
Post - 1 pt

Total - 3245 pts

#WinterGames #HollyJollyReaders @Laughterhp

@texreader @puddlejumper @catsandbooks @andrew65 @dieareader @Ghabi4Roses @thearomaofbooks @bookmarktavern

#AtoZ #CandyLand #BingoParty #FoundAndUnboundBookScavengerHunt #ReindeerReadathon #RushathonChristmasBingo #WinterClearDown #Adventathon #WinterPromptMaze #ChristmasReadathon #HanukkahReadathon
5mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 5mo

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 5mo

BookmarkTavern Woo! 🎉🎉🎉 5mo

Catsandbooks 🍭❄️❤️ 5mo

Andrew65 An excellent review 🎄🎄🎄 5mo

28 likes10 comments

OutsmartYourShelf

The Christmas Killer | Alex Pine

so-so

DI James Walker & wife, Annie, move to a sleepy Cumbrian village called Kirkby Abbey where Annie grew up as a child. They move there after James receives a threat from a recently released ex-con with a grudge against him. Life is quiet at first, but when James opens a Christmas present left on their doorstep, the gruesome contents & the attached card which warns of a season of ill-will with 12 murders to come. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf When the weather turns & cuts off the village from outside help, James has to catch a killer or has his past caught up with him?

It was ok but it all seemed kind of forced or stilted - the writing didn't flow naturally & it was awkward to read in parts. The plot was again, ok, but I found it very easy to work out who the killer was so there wasn't much suspense. 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf As this seems like it was the author's first published book though, it's probable that their subsequent books will improve so I plan on reading the next in the series. 3⭐

TWs: murder, infidelity, animal death, paedophilia, abortion, alcohol.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3661047553
Read 2nd-4th Dec 2023

Holiday Read - 25 pts
Readathons - 525 points
Word Challenge - 4080 pts
Post - 1 pt

Total - 4631 points

(edited) 5mo

OutsmartYourShelf #WinterGames #HollyJollyReaders @Laughterhp

@Ruthiella @texreader @puddlejumper @catsandbooks @andrew65 @dieareader @Ghabi4Roses @thearomaofbooks @emilymdxn @bookmarktavern

#20in4 #AtoZ #CandyLand #BingoParty #FoundAndUnboundBookScavengerHunt #LongDarkNightsDecemberBingo #ReindeerReadathon #RushathonChristmasBingo #WinterClearDown #WinterCosy #Adventathon #52BookClub12DaysofChristmas #WinterPromptMaze #ChristmasReadathon #CloakAndDaggerChristmas (edited) 5mo

Andrew65 A couple of years since I read this but I enjoyed it. Well done on finishing it 🎄🎄🎄 5mo

32 likes4 comments

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